Chandigarh, Dec 31 (IANS) Five people were arrested for pasting pro-Khalistan posters in Mansa district in south-west Punjab, a senior police officer said.
Mansa district police chief Narinder Bhargav said that the posters, containing seditious material spreading hatred among religious communities, were noticed in the towns of Bhikhi, and Budladha and nearby villages in the early hours of Monday, creating panic amongst the common people.
“Taking the issue very seriously, a special team was constituted and two cases under sections concerned of the Indian Penal Code IPC were registered at Bhikhi and Budhlada city police stations,” he said.
Bhargav said that at the bottom of these posters, an email “mautdeparwane” was also mentioned. He said that after thorough investigation, five people – Sukhcharan Singh, Deepa, Joney, Manjit and Harpreet Singh – were arrested.
He said that these five people used to meet at a religious place in Cheema Mandi of district Sangrur to plan their activities.
“During preliminary investigation, they disclosed that they were planning to initiate unlawful and disruptive activities in the region. Sections of the Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act has also been added in the FIRs and thorough investigation was going on,” he added.
Punjab had witnessed a prolonged phase of terrorism between 1981 and 1992 with separatist elements seeking a separate Sikh homeland, Khalistan – the land of the pure. The period left over 25,000 people dead.
